Alone in Society?
by ryuzaki-will-live-on
Summary: It's been six months since the opera;Shilo is tired of feeling so alone. When life allows an opportunity to free her of this loneliness, how far is she willing to go to posess this happiness? Will she make the right choice, is it worth it?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer : I don't own Repo! The Genetic Opera.**

Shilo looked up from the magazine she was flipping through aimlessly. It was well past midnight, and since she spent most of her time alone, except for the scattered time she spent with the grave robber, she was surprised to hear someone knocking at the door. The teenager made her way to the door and peeked through the peep-hole. _What is he doing here? _

Shilo opened the door to find Grave, her little nickname for him, standing on the porch, his hands shoved in his pockets and slouching into the shadows of the night. "What are you doing here? I thought you were busy for the rest of the week…" she began, confused at his presence. He had told her just the other day that he wouldn't be able to visit for the next few days.

The grave robber shrugged and mumbled, "Can't I come inside?" Though Shilo was confused at his presence, she opened the door and welcomed him in. She didn't get much company, being as she was currently hiding from the Repo Men sent by Amber Sweet; so she had to welcome and enjoy the companionship when she could. Besides, she always enjoyed being around Grave, he made the world seem less lonely.

Grave strode in, making his way to the couch that the teenager had been sitting on moments before, and picked up the magazine. "You miss her, don't you, Kid?"

Shilo didn't need to look at him to know who he was talking about. "Yeah, I wish I had more time to get to know her… if it weren't for her deal with GeneCo over her eyes… I would have known her… I would have known my godmother…" a silent tear slipped down her cheek. She didn't deny it, she missed Mag, and if there were one thing she'd never forgive the Largo family for, it was taking her away from her. Shilo was staying at Mag's house, not because she felt like she had the right to stay there, though Grave claims that she does, but because it was the only place that she could think of to run to on the night of the opera. Since then, she'd gotten quite comfortable in the quiet solitude in Mag's spiritual presence; it was where she seemed to belong for this phase of her life.

Grave looked over when he heard Shilo's voice turn sorrowful. He strode over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Don't worry Kid, you still got me!" he said with a lazy grin.

This was why Shilo loved having Grave around, he always seemed able to cheer her up, even a little. Suddenly feeling like having a good laugh, she replied with over-the-top sarcasm, "Yes, and what on earth would I do if I didn't have you to look after me!? I'd probably end up being a model citizen!"

"Hey! Watch it Kid, I am a high-class member of society! I have a good paying job, _and _a woman to come home to every night; I dare you to find another man in this city who has that much going for him!" he teased, picking up on her playful mood. He scooped her up into his arms and made his way back over to the couch, dropping her humorously and climbing onto the couch to straddle her hips. _Hmm… pretty damned smooth, if I do say so myself! _Grave chuckled to himself, making a face that was supposed to be enticing and seductive. However, instead of making the teen beneath him swoon at his touch, it caused her to break out into a fit of laughter. "What?" Graverobber asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"Grave…" Shilo began, trying to calm her laughing, "high-class member of society my ass!" The teen chuckled again at the feigned expression of shock that clouded Graverobber's features. "Besides, you don't come home every night, I'm lucky to see you a couple of times a week, I should be kicking your ass to the curb!" she teased, trying to push him off of her.

"You just don't realize how good you got it, Kid. But, eh, it's your loss," he replied with a wink as he climbed off her and readjusted himself on the couch.

Once Shilo calmed herself down, she leaned her head against Grave's shoulder, feeling safe in the man's presence. "What if we did try to be model citizens? You could come home to the house every night, and I could make dinner or something. At least it wouldn't be so lonely for me… and you wouldn't have to sleep on the streets… What do you think?

The question took Grave by surprise, "What?" he questioned, trying to figure out what had sparked this change of conversation. When she didn't reply, he assumed she was being serious, "I don't think so Kid… I'm more of a loner; and let's face it, you can't tell me that I fit the typical 'model citizen' profile."

Shilo became thoughtful for a moment and replied, "Well, what if I became a citizen of the society you're part of? It'd take away the loneliness, and you wouldn't have to live up to expectations you don't think you can fill. What about that?"

"No," Graverobber replied immediately, "absolutely not."

"But why not?" the teenager asked, getting worked up over the matter.

"I said no. My type of society isn't a place for girls like you," he stated matter-of-factly.

Shilo couldn't get her mind around the thought. Why didn't Grave want to be around her? Was she that poor of company that he would rather be alone? Or was it that he'd rather hang out with the addicts he serviced, and that she was just too boring to fit in with them? Her confusion quickly turned to anger. She jumped up, glaring at the man lounging on her couch. "Get out," she growled.

Graverobber was surprised, he hadn't expected Shilo to get angry, it was just a matter of circumstance, she didn't belong in the places that he hid; she was too pure and innocent for it all. When he didn't move, and Shilo stepped toward him, her arm trembling from anger, he finally got up and walked toward the door. Before walking out he turned, "Kid… it's just the way things are. I'll check up on you in a few days," he mumbled.

"No, you won't. Get out." Shilo's face was cold and hard, every bit of the teasing mood she was in earlier vanished completely from her features. Grave lowered his eyes, shoved his hands back in his pocket, and slumped back out into the night, with the door slamming shut behind him.

_What did I do that was so wrong? I just want to protect her… she's too innocent for the life I lead. I don't know why I want to protect her, but she needs someone to look after her, doesn't she?_ Graverobber scolded himself for the sentimentality that he was expressing towards the girl. Sure, he enjoyed her company to a certain extent; she was definitely less of a pain in the ass than one of the addicts like Amber; yet, was she really worth all of this trouble, especially now that she decided to rebel against what is best for her? What was all of this absurd talk of joining his ranks? Of course… he did turn down the idea to become a model citizen of society… but still. Out of angry confusion, he spat at the black pavement beneath him, and continued his way into the night.

Back in the house, Shilo was furious. Why did Graverober have to be such a dick sometimes? Was it such a terrible thing to not want to be lonely all the time? Whatever, she'd show him. If he didn't want to be a part of her social circle, and he didn't want her to be a part of his ranks…she'd find a way; she didn't quite know how yet... but she'd find a way.

**A/N : tada! i started, and finished, my first repo fanfic! i'm planning on at least a few more chapters for sure, but it could go on longer, depending on where i decide to take the story. Please post a review and let me know what you think so far... being as this is my first repo story, i'm not sure where it stands; so please review!! =D i'm going to try to get chapter 2 up as soon as possible.. but i have several tests this week, as well as a ton of extra curricular activies that i'm working around as well; so i'll try to write it and get it posted as soon as possible; please be patient! with love, Rhea. xo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer : I do not own Repo! The Genetic Opera. **

**Rated T for mild language. **

Graverobber's POV.

As Graverobber made his way down the dark allies that he called his home, the same questions kept reappearing in his thoughts. First of all, why did he feel so… protective…over this one girl? After all, his life would be so much easier if he just avoided her. However, there was that innocent and vulnerable side that virtually dictated the need for someone to at least look after her.

Second, if he were to be the one to step up and help her, how could he possibly protect her? He was only an underground grave robber, selling Zydrate in the black market. He could not possibly look after her efficiently; and yet, she has no one else to turn to, it has to be him.

He could give up his job and start doing things legally for a change, as Shilo had suggested… but this was his way of life, the only thing he had ever known; how could he just walk away from something that had been one of the only constants in his life? Sure, it wasn't that great of a constant, but it gave his life a form of stability.

Shilo had asked about hanging with him and helping him in the streets; that was definitely a no. Sure, he would be able to keep pretty close tabs on her, but he wasn't kidding himself, she didn't belong in the places he hung out in. The streets were too dark and dreary for her; they were too cold and hard; it was just not the place a teenage girl belonged in.

Graverobber sighed, after an hour of aimless wandering, Grave wasn't any closer to a solution; he'd have to worry about it later, perhaps when Shilo wasn't pissed at him anymore. Ah… was she pissed? Or Upset? Lonely? Confused? Graverobber didn't have a clue how she really felt. He was never really big with emotions; they were never really required in his line of work; he had learned a long time ago that just getting over stuff made life a lot easier. However, Shilo obviously did relate to emotions more… someway or another, Grave would have to master them, so he could at the very least, understand how the girl felt… and maybe, one day, if he got good enough at reading them… perhaps he'd be able to tell _why _she felt the way she did too.

Grave sighed as he pushed the gloomy thoughts from his mind. He'd worry about it later; he had work to do now.

Shilo's POV.

Shilo paced around the living room of Mag's house. How could one man possibly make her so angry? Who gave him the right to tell her how to live her life, or who she can talk to? Didn't he understand that being alone in the world was worse than rotting in a tomb? Her whole life had been spent locked away in a prison cell; didn't he understand that she wanted to be free of that hell? He was just as bad as her father!

Shilo collapsed onto the couch, drawing herself into a compact bundle, and sighed. All the anger she had been exerting toward Grave had made her tired. Although it had been six months since she had began the process of un-poisoning her blood, and she no longer needed to take doses of her father's medicine, too much strenuous activity made her tire quickly.

The teenager sighed; she didn't want to be irritated with Grave, he was her only companion in this wretched world. No… she didn't want to be angry with him, but she had to show him… somehow… that there wasn't anything wrong with them being friends and interacting with each other in the world. But how? How could she show him all of this when he was so dead-set against quitting the black market, and even more set against her joining it?

Shilo lowered her head into her hands, "Oh Mag, what should I do? Help me, I'm so lost…" the teenager mumbled. Water droplets started meandering down her cheeks, making their way into the hands that collected the draining tears.

Behind her closed eyes, an image of a different time and place appeared. She was picturing the time when Mag had come to her house and they met for the first time. Mag had shown her images via projecting them through her eyes. However, instead of Mag's projection being of the teenager's mother, it displayed two paths. The image at the end of the first path displayed Shilo sitting in Mag's big house, the expansive interior luxurious and magnificent. She sat on the familiar empty couch, alone, a deep grimace set in her features, tears streaming down her cheek.

At the end of the second path, the image displayed her sleeping against a brick wall. She was clad in tight black jeans, a revealing black tank top, and a man's black leather jacket. Beside her sat a man with long, multi-colored hair. He wore a short-sleeved black t-shirt, with one arm swung loosely, but protectively around her, cushioning her head against his shoulder, while the other played with the tips of her long, dark hair.

---

Shilo gasped as she opened her eyes. She could not believe what she had just seen. The images were crystal clear, as if Mag had been there, projecting them. Could they possibly be her two potential futures? Shilo sighed, her isolation was probably causing brain damage. She was most likely reading too far into all of this… it was her desperation to find a companion in the world that was driving her to seeing things; yes, this was probably it. Perhaps a good night's sleep would help ease the stress of everything?

Shilo made her way to the spare room in Mag's house, flopped down on the bed, and curled up under the quilted blankets. The warm, fuzziness of sleep started seeping over her, embracing her consciousness for the night. As she grew deeper into slumber, a faint question passed through her mind. _What if those images were real? Which would I choose, if given the choice?_ A smile played on Shilo's lips as she finally drifted into a much needed sleep for the night.

**A/N : Hello everyone! ik it's kinda a short chapter.. sorry about that, but i felt like it was kinda neccisary for the furthering of the plot, so please don't hate me. ^_^ i'd like to thank everyone who has left a review so far! your comments keep me motivated to keep writing; so thank you! I encourage everyone to leave a review... that way i can see what you like, don't like, etc. i want to make this story enjoyable to read. ^_^ i'm going to *try* to have the next chapter done relatively soon... i've been beyond busy lately.. and things aren't going to start to calm down for at least a few more weeks... so i will do my best to multi-task to the best of my ability, and get the next chapter done. cross your fingers for me! Plus, on top of this story, i still have several other stories that i've been neglecting as of late.. so i should probably work on those sometime too.. *sigh* always so much to do... but it's worth it. anyway! i hope you all liked this chapter! until next time, xoxo. -Rhea.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer : I don't own Repo! The Genetic Opera. **

The stealthy man of the night made his way knowingly down the allies of the city. It was the dead of night, nearly three in the morning, and his job for the evening was taken care of and fulfilled. Grave made his way to the house that had recently become a second home for him, Mag's house.

Graverobber let himself in with a spare key that Shilo had given him months ago. He snuck cautiously into the house, not wanting to cause any more irritation with him from Shilo. The man made his way into the living room, expecting to find it empty, but came across the teenager curled up on the couch, her wig disoriented and falling off.

Grave shook his head silently, he still didn't know why Shilo never seemed to use the bed. Carefully, as to not wake her up, Grave picked up the sleeping teen. He carried her down the hall to the guest bedroom. For some reason, Shilo refused to use Mag's room. Grave laid her down on the bed and slowly pulled the covers over her, being careful not to wake her.

Next, he removed her wig so it wouldn't get snarled. He set it on its stand before stepping back to observe her sleeping. Poor girl, she had been through so much crap in her life, and yet, she still looked so brave. The girl sleeping before him mumbled something unintelligible; Graverobber smiled at the laziness of her voice; all of the anger that had been there earlier was gone and replaced with the soft voice of sleep. Grave leaned down and kissed Shilo's forehead before exiting the guest bedroom and heading for the door.

He had thought of an idea, but he was limited on time. Of course, he didn't have all the details yet, but an idea is good enough for the moment; he'd work everything else out later. Grave snuck out the front door, and made his way back into town.

---

When Shilo woke up to the bright sunlight shining in through a window, she was confused. She never opened the curtains, so something was obviously wrong. The girl looked around, finally getting her bearings for where she was actually at, the guest bedroom; but hadn't she fallen asleep on the couch? She sighed, perhaps she just wasn't remembering stuff correctly, or perhaps she had sleep-walked?

Shilo got up and headed toward the kitchen to get a strawberry pop-tart and milk for breakfast. However, when she entered the kitchen, a man was standing over the cupboard whispering violent threats at something in front of him. Suddenly, a spoon managed to fling out of his hands and spiraled to the floor. "Damn it!" the man swore, quietly pounding his fists on the counter.

"Graverobber?" Shilo asked, curious as to what the hell he was doing in her kitchen this early in the morning. He usually never came over until later in the day, when it would be less obvious for him to be roaming the streets.

The man spun around, obviously caught in the act of whatever he was doing. It was Grave robber. "Oh… uh… hey Kid…" Grave stuttered, trying to place himself in front of whatever it was that he was working on. "You're up early… aren't you?" He placed an I'm-totally-innocent-don't-worry-about-looking-behind-me smile on his face, waiting for her response to the situation.

Shilo sighed. "What are you doing here? You never come here during the day, especially not in the morning. You always leave before I wake up; why are you here?"

Grave looked offended, "I'm not allowed to be here this early in the morning?" He waited for her to say something, but when she continued to stare at him with expecting eyes, he sighed and stepped to the side, unveiling what he had been working on. A bowl filled with a paste-colored goop was sitting beside a waffle-maker that was steaming. "I thought you liked waffles…"

The teenager took all of this in with silence, staring at the questionable waffle mix, and then glanced at the spoon that had been flung to the floor. Finally, after a few minutes, and Grave's face had started to turn slightly paler than it normally was, she answered. "I guess cooking isn't your forte."

Graverobber gave a lazy grin and a nonchalant shrug before shaking his head. Shilo bent down and picked up the spoon that had been thrown to the floor. "Let's see if we can salvage this," the teen said with a smile. She took over the waffle iron and set Grave to the task of making toast. Within ten minutes, Shilo had the breakfast looking and smelling pretty good; while Grave was grumbling about how the toaster should warn you not to turn the dial all the way.

Shilo brought the platter of waffles to the table and Grave grabbed two plates and cups. When they finally sat down to eat, neither of them made a move to try it. Instead, Shilo looked at the man in front of her, "Why?" Grave looked up, but looked as if he didn't know exactly what she was talking about. "Why did you do all of this, well, try to do all of this? You're never hear in the morning; what are you up to?"

Grave looked down at the table, he was starting to feel uncomfortable; they were starting to get on the brink of discussing feelings, which he wasn't good with. Plus, he was about to say something that he hadn't ever really said to anyone before. When he finally raised his eyes back to Shilo, and found her staring expectantly at him, he took a deep breath to begin. "I felt bad, I'm sorry."

"What?"

Graverobber thought for a moment, trying to figure out a way to broach the conversation without getting into the same argument that they had had last night. "I felt bad that I made you mad yesterday, and I wanted to try to say sorry without sounding sappy and wimpy." He shrugged, trying to stay nonchalant, so he wouldn't have to get too in-depth here.

Shilo sat and thought for a moment before breaking the silence that had once again formed around them, "Alright." She picked up her fork and began eating the breakfast that had been meant as an apology. Taking her lead, Grave did the same. Both of them were actually pretty happy to be eating real food, and not microwavable soup or something.

When they finished eating, Shilo cleaned up, and Graverobber went and sat on the couch, waiting for her to finish. When she finally did finish, she joined him on the couch, letting her thoughts drift to last night and the last few thoughts that she had had after Mag's vision, and before falling asleep.

"Um… I kind of got you this too," Grave mumbled, pulling something out of his coat pocket and holding it out to Shilo in a balled-up fist. Shilo just looked at him for a moment, before holding her hand out in curiosity. Graverobber opened his fist and dropped a tiny whitish thing into her hands.

Shilo held it in front of her, examining it. It was definitely a caterpillar chrysalis, but she couldn't be sure which species until the caterpillar emerged as a butterfly after metamorphosis. She smiled up at Graverobber, who was watching her with caution, almost as if he were afraid that she hated it. "Thanks Grave, I can't wait to see what comes out of here, I bet it'll be beautiful. I'll keep it with my collection!" She leaned over and gave the man a half-hug before jumping up to place the chrysalis in an empty aquarium filled with leaves and twigs.

When she had settled back on the couch, Grave was still looking at her, as if he was trying to analyze what was going on her mind. After a few minutes of silence, Shilo spoke again, "Grave, really, it's alright, I'm not mad anymore, really. I was just frustrated last night."

Graverobber nodded, "Okay, Kid, me too."

"Why don't you lay down or something, you look ghostly, you must be tired. You can use the spare bedroom if you'd like," Shilo offered. Graverobber issued a thanks before meandering down the hall to the spare bedroom.

Shilo almost felt bad that he was so concerned about if she was still mad at him; she wasn't. She wanted him to go back to being his normal self, perhaps after a nap, he'd be fine. However, she'd have to wait to see if he calmed down later, she had thoughts of her own to worry about. She made her way to the empty aquarium and looked at the chrysalis that Grave had given her. The caterpillar inside of it is going to transform into a completely different creature, a butterfly. That butterfly will fit in so well with the world, as soon as the caterpillar takes the initiative to break open it's barrier and take charge of its life.

Shilo smiled, she had just decided on the path that she was going to take. She grabbed her jacket and slipped out the door without stopping to leave Grave a note saying that she was going out. She had places to be, and things to do.

**A/N : hello everyone! sorry for such a long wait before an update. my schedual has been killer. X_X i had the day off school today, so i took advantage of the time and wrote another chapter; i hope you like it. a new twist is coming in the next chapter, just as a heads up. =) anyway! i'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed and subscribed and such. thank you soo much! you guys keep me writing. i'd like to urge everyone to review, even if you don't rate/subscribe or whatever. it at least gives me your guys' imput on the story. i'll try to get another chapter up soon. until next time, xoxo. Rhea.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer : I don't own Repo! The Genetic Opera. **

The cool morning air and whispering breeze embraced Shilo's face as she walked down the sidewalk. It felt nice to be outside, rather than locked away in a stuffed-up house. Every few minutes, the teenager would look over her shoulder, to make sure that no one was following her; it wasn't exactly the smartest idea to be out in public where Repo men could be out looking for her.

She first made her way to the local department store, and sent a silent thank you to Mag for letting her 'borrow' some money. Shilo hadn't really been shopping before; usually, her dad would just pick up some dresses, or she would wear some of her mother's old clothes. When she walked into the department store, her eyes widened in disbelief; there were so many things in here. Shilo headed toward the women's clothing section and began to peruse the different choice options she had.

Shilo grabbed several pairs of jeans, not really knowing what size she needed, a mixture of long and short-sleeved shirts, a handful of miniskirts and a few jackets to try on. After a few minutes of trying to locate the dressing room, she finally found them, and went in to try on the stack of clothes she held in her arms.

The teenager tried on each article, debating each one with herself. Fifteen minutes and seven knocks on the door from the fitting-room attendant later, Shilo emerged from the fitting-room. The attendant cast a dubious glance in her direction before offering to take the items she did not want. Shilo gave the attendant all but two pairs of jeans, one black and one blue; two long-sleeved shirts, one a dark turquoise, and the other a dull grey; a tight-fitting black short-sleeved t-shirt; one black leather miniskirt, and a black leather biker-jacket. She took her selections and headed to the next department, shoes.

She tried on several different shoes from several different styles, from flats, to sneakers, to heals, to boots. Shilo ended up deciding on a pair of black, knee-high, leather boots, and a pair of white tennis shoes. She again gathered up all of her things and thought for a moment that she wished she had grabbed one of the baskets on wheels that they had available at the entrance. With a mental sigh, she headed back up toward the front, toward the cashiers.

After several minutes of standing in line, she dropped everything that she had been holding in her arms onto the conveyer belt. She hadn't realized how heavy the collection had grown, and was suddenly happy to be free of it for a few minutes. The cashier rang up everything up, and Shilo was shocked to find a total of $150. She quickly pulled out Mag's wallet from her coat pocket and handed over the money, sending a silent apology to Mag for spending so much of her money on clothes.

When she had gathered all of the bags, the teenager headed to the bathrooms by the entrance to change. She slipped into her newly bought blue jeans, the grey long-sleeved shirt, the black short-sleeved shirt, and sneakers. Lastly, she shrugged on her new leather jacket, and transferred everything from the pockets of the old one. Shilo discarded the dress and slipper-flats that she had been wearing into the trash before taking the last remaining bag with her and leaving the store. As she headed back down the sidewalk, Shilo knew what she was going to do next, she just had to drop off the bag of clothes back home first.

When Shilo got back to Mag's house, she hid the bag of clothes in a set of bushes. She didn't want to set them inside, incase Graverobber was awake, and stopped her from leaving again. As soon as they were well concealed, she left, heading straight downtown. She walked for roughly thirty minutes before she reached her destination, GeneCo headquarters.

Standing there before the company's headquarters made her sick to her stomach. It was unbearable to be so close to the people who had lead to Mag and her father being killed. The thought made her angry, but she had another task to accomplish today, and it couldn't involve her hostility towards the Largo family. With a determined sigh of courage, she opened the front door and slipped inside.

Inside, everything was still and quiet. She wasn't sure what that meant, but for the moment, it was what she needed. Shilo made her way down the hall quickly but cautiously, ready at any moment to make a break for it if she encountered anyone in the hallway. The teenager continued to glance over her shoulder every few seconds, paranoid that someone was following her, just waiting for the right chance to pounce. The longer she went in the deafening silence, the more her nerves were starting to get to her. Shilo was becoming fidgety and even more terrified; yet, she knew she had to do this, if she wanted her life to be worth living.

Finally, Shilo came to a door at the end of the hall; not knowing where it lead to, she slipped inside. She continued on in the manner, trying to find the room she was looking for, but not knowing where it was. Shilo spent an hour and a half meandering the maze of hallways before she encountered a single soul.

As she was coming across another door, just a few feet before her, the door handle yurned. The movement shocked her, and although she knew that she had to turn around and run, she couldn't. The fear had paralyzed her, and only left her gaping and staring at the door.

When the door finally opened, Shilo came face to face with Pavi, one of Largo sons. Shilo felt her face tighten in fear and surprise; and yet, she still couldn't bring herself to run away.

"Shilo…?" Pavi asked, as if he was trying to decipher if it was really her. "What are you 'a doing here?" Shilo couldn't bring herself to say anything to the face-stealer. When she didn't respond, Pavi began to reach for her, to place arm around her shoulder, "We have much to 'a catch up on, no? You just let good ol' Pavi take 'a care of you."

Upon hearing this, and seeing his movement towards her, Shilo backed up, trying to get a feel for the situation she was really in. Pavi didn't _seem_ like he wanted her dead, but who knew? His face could conceal almost anything. "You aren't going to turn me over to the Repo men? You don't want me dead?"

The man before her looked shocked and hurt, "Of course 'a not! My 'a slut of a sister and her 'a lover, my 'a brother, wants you dead, but not 'a me. Pavi wants to 'a thank you for what 'a you have 'a done." When Shilo didn't respond, and held a look of great apprehension, Pavi continued. "You 'a ran off and 'a left, which left GeneCo to my 'a family. Plus, because of 'a you, I got a new 'a beautiful face." He was smiling, though the image gave Shilo the creeps.

"Pavi…" Shilo hesitated, "I need your help."

Pavi gasped and clasped his hands together, "But of course, my 'a little sister, Pavi will help 'a you."

"I need to find a Zydrate gun, will you help me locate it?" Shilo asked.

Pavi gave her a dubious glance before answering, "Yes, of 'a course, my 'a little sister, but, 'a why?" When the girl only looked down at the ground in response, Pavi understood. "You 'a don't worry about that Shilo, just 'a don't get caught. Just 'a tell him I said to 'a take 'a good care of you out there. Yes, Pavi will 'a help his baby sister."

"What!?" Shilo exclaimed, confused on how much Pavi actually seemed to understand. "What makes you think that… that I'll need protection from anyone? Or need to worry about getting caught. And why do you keep calling me your sister, we're not related."

Pavi smiled, "Why, my 'a sister, it is 'a written all over your 'a face, which is quite 'a lovely, by the way. Shilo, don't look at 'a me like so, I won't steal your 'a face. _He_ might get 'a mad if I 'a did that; and I would 'a never be able to 'a look in the mirror again if I had done that to 'a my baby sister."

"Why do you keep calling me that? And you took Amber's face, and she is actually your sister!"

"Well, you 'a see," he chuckled, "I don't 'a associate myself with my 'a family much anymore. After you 'a left, Amber took over, with 'a Luigi by her 'a side. I almost regret suggesting that they 'a hook up, because they 'a did… and that's when things 'a changed. They turned everything into this masochistic love 'a thing, and it was 'a truly unbearable for d' Pavi. So I 'a don't work in running 'a GeneCo anymore, I 'a just live here and pass my 'a time with d' beautiful 'a genterns." Pavi smiled at the thought. "And I 'a call you my 'a sister, because our 'a families are intertwined and since neither of 'a us have a family anymore, I adopted you into my 'a own little family. You 'a see, my sister?"

Shilo stared at him in shock, unable to believe some of the things he had said. However, it wouldn't do any good to argue any logic with the man, she was sure. Let him think they were family if he wanted; as long as he helped her, he was okay in her book. Besides, it was nice to have one of the Largo children not hate her. Finally, she smiled, "All right Pavi, so you'll help me?"

With a nod, Pavi wrapped an arm around her waist, "Of 'a course little sister, this 'a way." The man lead her back down the hall she had been coming from, leading the way to the surgery room.

**A/N : *Gasp* i know i know, i can't believe you stopped it there. But i suppose that means you'll have to come back to find out if Pavi is telling the truth, or if he's going to betray Shilo. I'll try to get another chapter posted soon, i'm on Thanksgiving break... so i have a bit of extra time on my hands, finally! I'd like to thank everyone for all of the story faves on this story, they mean a lot to me! Though i have a favor to ask you, and if you want your opinion heard, i hope you'll comply. it was suggested to me that i turn this into a mature-rated story, and have a lemon between Graverobber and Shilo. It wasn't what i had originally intended, but i can see it, and know how i can add it in. However, i want to know if you actually want this added in, or if i should just continue on the way i was planning. Another option is for me to write a new repo story containing the lemon. i'm leaving the choice up to you, my wonderful readers. to cast your opinion, please either message me, or post a review iwht your opinion on the matter. For everyone who has reviewed so far, thank you very much! =) until the next chapter.. xo**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer : I don't own Repo! The Genetic Opera**

As they made their way down the labyrinth of hallways, Shilo started to relax a bit more. For some strange, out-of-this-world reason, she trusted Pavi; there was just something in his mannerism toward her that seemed so gentle and honest.

After a few minutes of walking, Pavi held his finger up to his lips, gesturing the teenager to be silent. He opened another, which lead into yet another hallway; however this time silence did not greet them. Shilo could hear things being thrown in one of the rooms, as well as screaming, and shouted violent words. She paused for a moment, fearful to take another step, but Pavi nodded at her, and drew her closer for the escort down the hall. The teenager was taking extra care to be as quiet as she could, barely daring to breathe.

Soon enough, they had made it out of the hallway, and through another door. Still timid, after a few feet down the new hall, Shilo asked in a whisper, "Who… was that?"

Pavi frowned, "My 'a sister and 'a brother."

Shilo's jaw dropped, "What in the world were they doing?"

Again Pavi frowned and sighed, "Well, they were 'a, well, you 'a know. Or, they had just gotten 'a done doing that." He shook his head in disgust.

"But…" Shilo began, confused at what he was saying.

"Shilo, there are 'a just some 'a things in this world that are 'a better left uninvestigated. For your 'a innocence, I wouldn't 'a ask." He patted her on the head and motioned her towards the door they were coming up to. "This is 'a the room."

Pavi opened the door and held it open for her. With a deep breath of courage, Shilo stepped forward into the room, embracing the future she was making for herself. Inside, there was an operation table in the middle, with tons of tools and instruments surrounding it on shelves and cabinets. The sight made Shilo tense for a moment, reminding her of her father, and how he had used almost all of these tools, she was sure. Determined not to let her apprehension get the best of her, she turned to Pavi eager for his help once more.

Pavi smiled down at the teenager, "This 'a way my 'a little sister, Pavi will help you." He walked to one of the far cupboards and opened one of the drawers. Shilo followed him and leaned over his shoulder, eager to see what was inside. In the drawer, there were handfuls of Zyrdrate guns, as well as little glass vials that went in the guns.

Pavi grabbed a plastic bag and put two Zydrate guns and ten little glass vials inside of it. He handed the bag to Shilo with a smile, "There my 'a little sister, just as Pavi promised. Now, let's 'a get you out of here before our other siblings finish their 'a business."

Shilo smiled at the man, he might be a little creepy, but he was definitely kind, when he wanted to be, that is. "Thank you Pavi." She smiled at him as he lead her out the door and back down the maze of hallways. They were quick and quiet as they hurried along their way, both of them nervous for what would happen if Amber and Luigi found them.

Within twelve minutes, they had made their way back to the exit. Here, the two of them stopped. Pavi was the first one to speak, "Well my 'a baby sister, good luck. Remember, always find d' Pavi if you need help, Pavi will 'a help you." He patted her head as he smiled.

Shilo surprised herself with her next actions, she wrapped her arms around the older man, "Thank you Pavi." Shilo released him and took a step back, making her final silent goodbyes. With that, she turned around and started her journey back home, the journey to her new life.

---

When Graverobber woke up, the house was silent. The late-singer's house was generally relatively quiet, but not usually this dead silent; you could probably hear a pin drop at the other side of the house. Curious, Grave got up to investigate what Shilo was up to. First he checked her room, assuming she must be sleeping, but when she wasn't in there, he began his rounds of the entire house, only to find that she wasn't there at all.

"Where in the hell could she be?" he muttered to himself. She had been there just hours before, right before he had laid down, and now she was gone. The doors and windows showed no evidence of violent entry, and even if someone had managed to get in without making a noise, he was sure that he would have heard Shilo screaming and trying to get away…

Graverobber paced the house, his nerves getting the best of him. He shouldn't care that Shilo is missing, she probably just… just what? Shilo didn't ever really leave the house, so where would she go? Regardless of where she went, she was just some kid; she wasn't important to him, that much, right? Graverobber swore to himself, sitting down, then standing up, and then down again, trying to settle the anxiety boiling inside of him.

He decided that he would have to chain her up or something, all this stress was surely not good for his health; on top of that, what about Shilo's health? Yeah, she was mostly better, but not completely better. Grave threw one of the couch pillows at the door, trying to vent his frustration. He glared at the door, as if trying to leave an imprint in the solid wood with his eyes.

A moment later, the door inched open. The movement had startled Grave, but he remained silent, watching. Slowly, the door gave way to the teenage girl, carrying two plastic bags in her arms. She popped her head in, hoping to avoid being seen. Almost immediately, the girl locked eyes with Grave standing a few yards away from her. His glare was strong and hurtful, and Shilo squirmed under it. "I… uh… went shopping," she stammered with a forced smile.

When Graverobber didn't say anything, Shilo took a deep breath and stepped completely in and shut the door behind her. She walked over to the coffee table in front of the couch and set the bags down, then turned back to Grave. He was still staring at her expectantly, but his gaze wasn't nearly as harsh as it had been a moment ago.

"Grave…" the teen began, "I told you, I went shopping. You can stop staring at me like that." Shilo started to walk past him, when he suddenly reached out and snatched up her wrist. "Come on, let go. It's not that big of a deal."

Graverobber did not let go, but only looked at her more intently, as if searching for something in her eyes. "Where did you go?"

"What?" Shilo asked, "I told you, I went shopping, that's all."

Graverobber frowned, "You're a bad liar, you know that Kid? Where did you go, and would it have killed you to leave a fucking note!?" Shilo didn't respond, she couldn't. The teen stood there, staring up at him, trying to figure out what to say. "I mean really Kid, do you have any idea how freaked out I was when you were just gone? What the hell were you thinking?"

Shilo's mind was operating in fragments, not able to put complete thoughts together, "I.. I was becoming a butterfly," she mumbled, trying to ignore the pain in her wrist from Grave's grasp.

"What the hell does that mean!?" Grave shouted.

By now, her mind was starting to warm up to the argument, and actually form real thoughts. "I made my choice, Grave, and there's nothing you're going to do to stop me from it. I've made…"

Graverobber cut her off, "What choice? The choice to run off without letting anyone know where the hell you're going? Yeah, great choice, Kid; that's just stupid, why don't you use a little bit of sense next time you make one of your decisions, huh? Now where the hell did you go?"

Shilo could feel the heated anger rising to her face. God, did he have to be such an ass? Couldn't he just let her explain? He stood there staring at her, expecting some confession for sneaking out. Shilo made another decision, she wasn't going to take it. Her determination dug itself in, while her free hand snapped up and smacked Grave across the face. "Let me go, _now_!"

Though the shock was apparent on Graverobber's face, his hand did not release her wrist. "No," he shot back.

After a few minutes of the stare-down, Shilo reached down to the bags on the coffee table, and shoved one of them at him, "You want to know what I was doing? Well, asshole, here. Now fuck off!"

She ripped her hand from his and hurried down the hall to her room, slamming and locking the door behind her. Shilo ripped her wig off and threw it on the floor before sinking down against the door, and beginning to cry. Looking down, she could see the bruise starting to form a ring around her wrist where _he_ had been gripping it; laying her head against her drawn-up knees, she sat in the dark, tears dripping down her cheek.

---

Back in the living room, Grave stared after Shilo until she disappeared behind her bedroom door, his eyes flinching shut as she slammed it closed. He took a deep breath before looking down at the bag she had shoved into his hands. Inside, there were two Zydrate guns and glass vials. Grave threw the bag onto the couch before sitting down next to it, "Damn it," he swore as he kicked the coffee table leg.

She had gone to get stuff to sell Zydrate? Why? Where? To who? What was the price? The questions were spinning around in his head, making his stomach churn with disgust. There were far-worse peddlers than him, in many different ways. What if someone… Graverobber shook his head in disgusted defeat, what had she done? He sat there for several silent minutes. Wait, what had he done? Surely, Shilo had to be provoked to do something; since he wouldn't let her sell with him, did she turn to some other corner? The thought was repulsive to him.

Accepting some sort of blame, he got up and made his way to the end of the hall to her room, kneeling before the door. Almost sensing she was right there, only a door width away, he whispered, "Kid… I'm… look, I'm sorry. I.. uh… didn't mean to be such an asshole." Silence met him. "Look.. Will you open the door?" Again, silence met him. "Kid, really, I'm not going to yell or anything, will you open the door?" When he didn't get a response, he turned, leaning his back against her door and closing his eyes. He had really done it now.

After several minutes of still silence, Grave heard the doorknob turning. He stood up, facing the door, grateful that Shilo was actually opening the door. When it had been swung all the way open, they stood facing each other, neither saying anything.

Graverobber could see the puffy redness under her eyes, and her tear-stained cheeks. He mentally punched himself in the face for doing that to her. Grave took a step forward, into the room, "Look, Kid, I'm sorry. I was just… worried. You gotta see it from my point of view, I woke up, and you were just gone. I freaked out."

"You didn't have to be so mean about it…" her voice cracked.

"I know… Kid, I've already said it, I'm sorry…" Grave paused for a moment, "will you tell me where you went?"

Anger flickered in Shilo's eyes again, but it dimmed with a sigh, "I snuck into GeneCo headquarters. And before you ask, I'm fine. I got lost, but then Pavi found me, and helped me."

"Pavi… Largo? What do you mean he helped you? He's a Largo!" Grave was trying his absolute hardest not to let the disbelief and anger seep back into his tone of voice.

"Yeah," Shilo shrugged, "Amber and Luigi got together and Pavi wanted out, and he helped me."

Grave snorted a laugh, "So that little slut found someone else to screw? I knew it would happen." He laughed again before turning his gaze serious again, and looking back at Shilo. "So.. You didn't go to a different Z peddler?"

Shilo shook her head no, and Graverobber's shoulders dropped in relief. "Thank God," he mumbled. Surprisingly enough to Shilo, Grave stepped forward and clasped his arms around Shilo, his mouth placing urgent kisses on her neck. The second his arms had connected around her, the teenager froze, and the second his lips made contact with her skin, her breathing stopped.

Sensing the change in her demeanor, he re-distanced himself from her, pulling both his lips and arms away from her, realizing what exactly he had done. He hadn't meant to touch her, and he certainly hadn't meant to kiss the kid, but… something had happened. Had he just lost control for a moment? Was it some irrational impulse?

Looking at Shilo's still stunned expression, Grave dropped his gaze to the floor, "Erm… sorry Kid, again." With that, he turned and left the room, making his way to the spare bedroom, leaving Shilo gaping after him. When she finally had the sense to close the door, she stood there, her hand resting against the solid wood. What had just happened?

After Graverobber had closed the door to his spare room, he smacked himself in the head before slamming his head against the door and leaving it there. "What did I just do?"

**A/N : all right, so it's a bit longer of a chapter, i think... but i'm hoping it makes up for the long periods of time in between chapters. I'm hoping to get chapters posted sooner...but i go back to school tomorrow, so god only knows if it'll actually happen. anyway! thank you to everyone who has commented/reviewed so far. i still encourage everyone to review, you guys mean the world to me. =) anyway! i hope you liked this chapter. until next time, xoxo. -Rhea.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer : I don't own Repo! the Genetic Opera**

**A/N : Rating level is increasing to M, per requests to turn this into a more mature story. So yeah, just as a warning. **

The next morning, after next-to-no sleep, Graverobber slipped out to pick up some coffee and doughnuts for breakfast. Shilo, like Grave, had been up most of the night thinking about what had happened the night before, in particular, that _kiss_. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her brain was still frazzled and having trouble organizing complete thoughts. Deciding that a long hot shower might help her feel civilized again, she grabbed her wig and dragged herself out of the corner she had been scrunched in and made her way to the main bathroom.

After the water had warmed up, the teen stepped in and let the hot water pour over her body. She closed her eyes and listened to the running water, embracing the steam as it caressed her skin. That kiss… why… what caused it… why…? The same questions were rotating through her thoughts. After a few minutes, a different thought struck her, what was she going to do about it now; and how was she supposed to act around Grave now? Shilo sighed and rested her head against the shower wall. Becoming a butterfly is much harder than the caterpillar makes it look.

After a few quiet moments, Shilo gasped. Why hadn't she thought of it before? She had been so focused on the kiss, and why it had happened, and what was going to happen because of it, and everything else, she had completely forgotten the situation and decision that had indirectly led up to it. Shilo didn't have time to worry about the kiss, she had to return her focus to how to get Grave to let her sell Z with him. The teen pondered this for a few moments, letting the soothing water calm her jittery nerves.

Suddenly, and brilliantly, as most epiphanies occur, a thought struck her. "Why not use _it_ to my advantage? He kissed me… for some reason… so that might be some kind of weakness for him… What if I seduced him into letting me work with him! That would work, I just know it!" She smiled, in spite of herself. "Shit… but I haven't done that before, what if I mess it up?" She pondered this for a few more minutes before concluding with a nod of dedication, "I'll just have to be confident and try my best. If it doesn't work.. Then I'll try again later." Having decided on the next course of action, Shilo felt a million times better.

After lavishing herself with an extra long shower, Shilo stepped out and wrapped one of the fuzzy black bath-towels around her body. She took a minute to put her wig on, and then brush it, to take away the I've-just-been-mauled-in-the-forest-by-a-bear look. She was looking at herself in the mirror, wondering what she should wear and do with her makeup while performing the actual seduction.

The teen was mentally going through her clothing options when she heard a knock on her door down the hall. His words were faint, but the girl could still make them out. "Hey, uh, Kid, I brought some coffee and doughnuts for breakfast. I thought I uh, could make it up to you, for being an ass last night…" The girl contemplating for a moment, taking the situation for what it was, and smiled. The circumstances had changed, she wouldn't need clothes after all. With another deep breath, she reached for the door handle; she _would_ become a butterfly.

As she opened the door, Grave turned toward the sound, away from the sight of her bedroom door. As she stepped into his sight, his jaw dropped. Not comprehending everything in the first second, he asked, "Kid… is that you?" Shilo stared at him, trying to bring herself to do what she had planned on. Standing here, seeing Grave gaping at her embarrassed her beyond the ends of the Earth… but she didn't want to be alone for the rest of her life… right? She had to do this. Bringing herself to smile, she took a step towards him.

Seeing her walk towards him, Grave felt his skin flush, "Erm…. You should get dressed first, before breakfast that is… umm… I'll wait in the kitchen." He started to walk back down the hall, his eyes focused on the floor, hurrying along, away from the extremely awkward situation. However, as he went to pass by Shilo, she reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Grave…" she began, "umm… about last night…"

The man cut her off, looking up at her, but trying to avoid eye contact. "I'm uh… sorry, again. I didn't mean to…"

"I was thinking," Shilo whispered, "we could pick back up where we left off." She looked up at him from under her dark eyelashes, begging him to agree, so she would be in a position over him, so that he'd _have _to let her sell Z with him.

"Uh… What?" The gaping, confused stare that Graverobber replied with was beyond cute, it even made Shilo smile. "Kid… did you slip and hit your head in the shower or something?"

Shilo didn't answer the question, but put her hand on his chest, and started backing him toward her bedroom door. When they had reached the end of the hall, Shilo reached up on her tip-toes and pressed a slightly hesitant kiss against his still gaping and confused lips. "Kid… what are you…" He was silenced with another kiss, and another, each one growing with intensity, leaving all of moment. his comments left unfinished. Not long after, he stopped trying to make remarks about what had come over her; he subdued to her. Grave began to kiss Shilo as violently as she was kissing him, wrapping his arms around her, and trying to taste as much of her as he could in the time that was left in this unpredicted moment.

They were pressed up against the door, but Grave managed to get the door knob turned and the door kicked out of the way. Grave took control and led Shilo to her bed, lowering her down onto the still unmade sheets. Their breathing was heavy as layers of Grave's clothes were stripped off of him and thrown to the floor. In the back of her mind, the thought was still there, that Shilo only had to seduce him enough to get her to sell Zydrate with him. Graves clothes came off, and with them, came Shilo's towel. The entire time this had been happening, the two had been kissing each other, their lips, their necks, their throats… However, the second the towel was pulled off, Shilo tensed.

"Wait a minute… Grave…" she panted, her breathing still heavy. The thought in the back of her head came up screaming, shouting at her to stop before things went too far. However, the voice was silenced within seconds, as Grave, trying to silence the lips that he wanted against his so badly, pushed his lips against hers. His hands traveled up her body, starting at her hips. With each millimeter that they traveled, Shilo had new shivers going down her spine, and a sock stuffed inside the mouth that was screaming at her to stop.

Grave continued to touch her, caressing her breasts and stomach with his hands and lips. Shilo groaned contently into each and every kiss delivered to her greedy mouth. The thought that she was only doing this to be allowed to sell Zydrate with Graverobber quickly disappeared and remained gone, quite to Shilo's pleasure.

With each passing second, Graverobber's embraces were becoming more heated, passionate, and necessary. Shilo found herself idly wondering why she hadn't initiated this intimate relationship between herself and Grave sooner. The teenage girl found herself engraving her nails in the older man's back, trying to pull him closer, to try to break the physical barrier between them.

"Kid…" Grave breathed against her ear. The sensation sent a thrilling chill down to her toes. "You're so… _good_." With that last whispered phrase, Grave dragged his right hand, which had been caressing Shilo's back with fervent strokes, down her body, pushing a finger between her lips. The initial, unexpected action caused an excited gasp to escape from the teen's throat, but was stifled when Grave crashed his lips back against hers, his tongue licking at her bottom lip.

Grave's finger, which was soon joined by a second, continued to move in and out of Shilo, causing Shilo to twitch with greedy anticipation, clinging to the older man more tightly. "Grave…" she started, a sensuous whisper wafting through the heated air between them, "…mmm… go de-deeper…ngh." The man didn't seem to need a second invitation as he mumbled a consented murmur into her ear. However, Shilo frowned in surprised disappointment when he abruptly pulled his fingers from her, readjusting himself above her.

With a last quick kiss, he mumbled, "Ready?" before slowly pushing himself into her, earning yet another quick gasp from the girl beneath him. _Trying _to be as gentle at first, as to not _completely_ take away Shilo's innocence all at once, Grave nudged his way in, loosing even more of his self control with each increasing millimeter of entrance.

Just when Grave found himself to be completely inside of Shilo, she turned her head restlessly towards the mattress, "Grave…" she whined, "please… move already, will you?" Graverobber found himself smirking, which ever-so-gradually shifted to a smile, not bothering to respond with words, but with motion. The Zydrate peddler thrust his hips quicker, quickly gaining pace and intensity. Both participants found themselves panting, more shallowly as Graves pace escalated, moaning each other's names; they were lost in the little bubble of pleasure that they had created for themselves, and the couple was more than content to stay there.

Shilo rocked her hips up against Graves, feeling complete bliss as an orgasm washed over her, consuming her entire body in convulsions of erotic sensations. She half moaned- half whispered Grave's name as he came inside of her, finally reaching his climax as well, heightening her own touch of ecstasy.

When Shilo found herself laying next to Graverobber, his arms draped lazily on her hips, she sighed in satisfaction, that had been one hell of a way to cheer her up; what a good morning it was turning out to be. With that thought, she made a mental face-palm, she had completely forgotten _why _she had tried to seduce Grave in the first place… that had lead to… sex. With a quick deep breath of courage, the teen opened her mouth, "Grave?" she hummed.

"Yeah?"

"I…I, uh, have a favor to ask," she stated, beating around the bush and trying to avoid the awkwardness of the entire situation for a little bit longer. She didn't want it to seem like she had just slept with him so she could get what she wanted… which… was true, if they were going to get technical… but still. After she had initiated it, that thought _had_ gone away and an animalistic nature _had _consumed her before they got too intimate… so surely that gave her at least a little wiggle room. Right? With an inward groan, she started again, "Are you really that opposed to me selling Zydrate with you?"

There was a silence behind her, with only the feel of a hand on her waist, and the faint evidence of breathing to show that Grave was still really there. Had he made the connection that she was stressing over, that she was just using him? Biting her lip, Shilo waited the silence out, praying it wouldn't last too much longer. When her nerves had gotten the best of her again, she asked, "Grave…?"

"Kid… we've already discussed this," his voice devoid of the uncommon warmth that had been there earlier this morning. "It's not a place where you belong."

A small pout formed on Shilo's features, finding herself turning around to face the man that still held her. "Grave, you know that's not fair, you can't shelter me forever you know." When he didn't reply with anything but a raised eyebrow, she tried again, "Please, Grave, just for me? I promise I'll be good and won't get in the way, honest." The pout had turned into classic 'puppy-dog pout,' her eyes growing wide, affecting a look of complete desolation. "Please?" she whispered again, noticing the faint, but detectible flash of uncertainty in the man's eyes. Shilo found herself drawing nearer to the man she was laying next to, her eyelids drooping slightly as she leaned in for a kiss, short but sweet. "Please?"

With a groan, Grave closed his eyes and sat up, running a hand through his mult-colored hair, "I'll think about it." The ecstatic happiness was apparent in the teen's features the second the words had escaped his mouth. Registering this, Grave moved to pull the covers away from him, dragging himself from the warmth of Shilo, and rose to pull on his jeans. "In the mean time, our coffee is probably cold, but the doughnuts probably still taste pretty damned good." He offered Shilo a hand with a slight smile, "Come on."

The girl accepted his hand with excited eyes; not only had they just had _incredible_ sex, but she was going to get to sell Zydrate with him, she just knew it. She was going to become a butterfly, and not end up completely alone; this knowledge was complete and utter bliss.

The two made their way out of Shilo's room and down the hall, Grave possessing a look of uncertainty, and Shilo with a look of obvious satisfaction. Things were going to end up all right in the end, they just _had _to.

**A/N : First of all.... I'M REALLY SORRY. I'd like to apologize for taking so freaking long to update this story... and though it sounds like an excuse, it's not my fault. It was my very first attempt at writing a lemon... and I am wholy dissatisfied with it. I had the first half of the chapter written for forever, but then when it came time to write in the sex... it always sounded stupid. So yeah, I rewrote the second half of this chapter nine different times before finally coming up with the finished chapter. . . and I'm still not happy with how it turned out... but it didn't sound as stupid as the rest of the attempts... so yeah, please don't hit me for taking forever to update... or if this chapter sucked because I am uncapable of writing lemons... though I will practice, so the next time I write one, it isn't as much of an epic fail. **

**On another note, thank you to everyone who favorited this story, and to all the reviewers. If it weren't for you guys, I probably wouldn't have finished this chapter for a few more months. However, thanks to all of your support, I felt like a complete dirtbag for not finishing the chapter and updating, since I knew I had already taken forever. So yeah, I denied myself cold medicine (I believe I've caught the plague, again. . ) until I finished this chapter, and Tada! so yes, thank you to everyone who has continued to support me, and I hope this chapter doesn't make you hate me and my writing completely! I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner... exams are over now, so I'm hoping to have more time to write.. so we'll see. until next chapter, xoxo.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer : I don't own Repo! The Genetic Opera**

**A/N : It's a bit shorter of a chapter, but it seemed like it needed to end there... enjoy!**

The two ate their breakfast more-or-less in silence. The air between them seemed dense as it hung suffocatingly over their heads. Not only did Shilo not want to push the subject of selling Zydrate, in fear of making Graverobber more set in his way than before, but the adventure they'd just had down the hall in Shilo's room seemed to occupy both of their thoughts. It was hard to believe that just twenty-four hours before they had been eating breakfast in much the same manner… but now… things had changed. The silence made the situation all the more eerie.

Finally, Grave caught Shilo's glance, noting the way she quickly averted her eyes back to the table. "Look… Kid…" he began, unsure of how to go about the conversation that needed to unfold, "about… uh.."

Shilo cut him off, quickly interpreting his hesitation for regret, "Look, I'm sorry, well, kind of." Grave cut her a curiously-amused glance. "Was it really that bad?" she asked with a sigh of defeat. "I haven't done… that… before."

The corner of Grave's lips twitched up slightly, "Kid, I wouldn't worry about being bad; that was…" the twisted smile returned, "…well, that was something else, but not bad." Confusion passed over Shilo's features, unsure of how to construe that comment. When she only stared at him with expecting eyes, he sighed. "Honest, it wasn't bad. It was like… being injected with Zydrate, only better. It was good; you were good." The comment seemed to hang in the electrically-charged air, and as it descended upon the inner workings of Shilo's brain, shock masked her features. Had Grave just said that she was good in bed? She had never expected those words out of his mouth. "You don't believe me." It was not a question, but a statement of fact.

Some nerve in the teen's brain ordered her head to shake no, though she couldn't really know how; the entire situation was growing stranger and stranger. Without even so much as a warning, the twisted smile that Grave's lips had been flaunting flashed across the table -across Shilo's line of vision- and contorted itself against her own lips, pressing against them in a heated whisper. "Well, Kid, it's true." He kissed her just once, a deep, impassioned kiss, before returning to his section of the table.

A minuscule smile ghosted across Shilo's lips. "Right… well… I'm still sorry about it; I shouldn't have thrown myself at you like that." She returned her eyes to the table, unable to meet his stare.

Graverobber chuckled to himself, "I'm not complaining, though I was quite surprised." He paused, noticing the teen's shyness about the issue. For him, sex was a well-understood and experimented subject; there really was no reason to embarrassed or shy about it. However, something in the timid manner she held her gaze from him triggered something inside the older man, urging him to try to comfort or empathize with her, or whatever it was that she wanted him to do. "Uh… so what do we do now?" he asked.

Through dark eyelashes, she caught his gaze again. "Does this change things between us?" Inside, Shilo was having an internal meltdown. At his question, a million different questions came rushing up at her. Had she just ruined her entire relationship with Grave? Would he not be with her anymore due to awkwardness? Would she still end up completely alone in the world, despite her efforts to try to gain a companion, a friend, for it? The thoughts made her mouth run dry, her body tense with fear; her eyes widened at the horrific images that now crossed her mind, the images of a desolate future, cold and alone.

Though Grave had been more-or-less devoid of emotion for the larger portion of his life, the panicked fear in Shilo's face was more than apparent. He didn't know exactly what was wrong, why she was so scared, or what had caused the fear to manifest itself, but he felt himself compelled to try to comfort her. Lifting the teen's chin with his thumb and forefinger, he drew her towards him, forcing her to meet his gaze, "It doesn't have to." Shilo took in the image, her eyes begging for understanding, still lost in their own confused terror.

Graverobber withdrew his hand, standing from his chair and making his way to Shilo. Standing before her, he offered his hand, "Here." Her still searching eyes took in the image, wondering if this was the point where he made his final goodbye, despite the seemingly reassuring words he had just offered.

Through some impulse of nerves, the teenager stretched out her hand, as if reaching out for the last flicker of hope. As their hands touched, Graverobber drew her up, and a moment later, Shilo was wrapped in his warm embrace. She lay her head against his shoulder, enjoying the strength and reassurance of his arms around her.

As quickly as the hug had enveloped her, it had deserted her as well. Grave removed his arms from her tiny frame, drawing back to take a look at her mental state, hoping that she was less panicked now. The teen's face still held traces of desolate fear, but there was something else there, something that Grave didn't know how to classify. Hope, perhaps?

"Erm… Look, Kid…" he started. It sent Shilo's heart pounding to the point where she could feel it in her ear drums; this was it, all or nothing. She quickly drew in a breath, not daring to breathe until she had his decision revealed to her. "Kid, though I don't think you belong there… you can sell Zydrate with me. At least it's me, I suppose, so I can at least try to protect you…"

His heroic speech was cut off by Shilo flinging her arms back around him, drawing herself into a hug. When his arms fell back around her frame, Shilo managed to speak at last. "Thank you, Grave. You're the greatest," she hummed, nuzzling herself deeper into their embrace.

The two remained like that for a breath of a moment longer before Graverobber raised his head ever so slightly, and planted a soft kiss against Shilo's forehead. "Thanks, Kid."

**A/N : So I tried to update quickly... and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it is shorter. I'm hoping to have the next chapter, and probably the last chapter, posted maybe next week? Though this story will be ending with the next chapter, I'm thinking of possibly starting another Repo! story... please comment and me know if I should, or what characters you'd like to see in it. So yeah.. please review!!! until next time, xoxo.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Repo! The Genetic Opera.**

**A/N: I'M SO SORRY! It has been practically four months since I've updated this story, and I'm super sorry for it. I hadn't intended it to take this long to get it written... but with school... I didn't have a ton of time to actually sit down and write. In the previous A/N in chapter 7, I said that this would probably be the last chapter of Alone in Society; however, when I sat down to write it this morning... I decided that I wanted to extend it just a little bit more... so I am thinking now that there will be two more chapters. I hope you enjoy chapter 8! **

Shilo looked up from where her head was rested against Graverobber's shoulder when the man next to her chuckled. "What?" she asked, hoping that he wasn't making fun of her for some reason or another.

Grave pulled his lips into a loose grin, "It's been a hell of a last couple days, huh? It seems like a lot has happened."

The teenage girl contemplated this; yes, it was certainly true. She had discovered so many things in the past few days. The disturbing image of Luigi and Amber immediately popped up in her head; however, she pressed her thoughts away from the pairing and toward her newly-found brother, Pavi, who had been so kind and helpful. The past few days had been a first for many things. Shilo had went shopping for the first time and actually bought clothes that were actually current and in-style. She had willingly traveled to GeneCo headquarters in broad daylight despite still being hunted by repo men. Then of course… there was the sex that had taken place just this morning… Shilo pondered this… she had certainly grown braver in the past few days, and it was all due to Graverobber. He offered a chance to not be completely alone in the world, the only chance that she'd ever been given. Though half of the things Shilo had done in the past forty-eight hours had terrified her, she had been able to withstand the terror in her heart and mind with the thought that if she made it through these challenges, she might be allowed to have a companion, a friend, to spend her days with.

She smiled at Graverobber, "Yeah…" the teenager sighed, still mulling over the thoughts in her head. It had worked, after all. Graverobber was going to let her sell Zydrate with him, and though the idea sounded scary and dangerous… with Grave by her side, she knew she would get through everything fine.

The two sat on the couch for hours, passing into late afternoon, both enjoying the others company and companionship. They spoke of many things, including Mag, the Genetic Opera, Nathan, Shilo's mother, Grave's past, the weather, and life in general. At long last, after Shilo's legs grew cramped from sitting so long, she drew herself up and stretched. Looking down at the coffee table before them, her eyes caught the two plastic bags that were sitting there. She snatched up one of them, the one containing her newly purchased apparel.

"What's that?" Grave asked, after looking back to the other bag which contained the Zydrate guns and vials.

A playful smile danced on Shilo's lips. "I told you I went shopping," she teased before making her way back down the hall to the bathroom to take another quick shower before changing.

A very confused and interested Graverobber stared as she made her retreat. Part of him questioned if he was doing the right thing. Was it okay to allow a rather sheltered teenage girl to work the streets with him? Was it okay to potentially get involved with her? Did he want to get involved with her? The questions popped up sporadically, not giving Graverobber the chance to think them over.

He decided, finally, that it didn't really matter what was right or wrong in this situation. There was something about Shilo Wallace that propelled him to want to look after her, to protect her. She had explained earlier that the thing she feared above all, even above being found and killed by Amber Sweet's Repo Men, was being completely alone in the world. After speaking to each other, it made sense to Grave why she had pushed so hard to be allowed to sell Z with him. If letting her be near him on the streets could appease her in any way, could he do anything else but let her be with him?

Graverobber thought for a few minutes, still staring at the spot where Shilo had disappeared behind the bathroom door. He had made his decision, though was it ever really a decision? It was as if fate had destined for this to happen. Nothing mattered. Nothing except Shilo's safety and happiness mattered; he would do whatever he could to ensure that those needs were met. If that lead to further interaction beyond friendship, then so be it. Grave smiled to himself at having answered all of the questions that were rolling around in his head just by making one decision to protect the precious, sheltered teenager.

Growing tired of sitting on the couch, Graverobber took to organizing the Zydrate components that were sitting in the bag before him. He inspected the Zydrate guns, making sure that they were not cheaply made and would hold for their purpose. Next, he examined the glass vials, making sure they were not broken which would cause the Zydrate to leak out before selling it.

As he was turning one of the vials over, he heard the bathroom door open. Immediately, his eyes rose to meet Shilo. Almost as quickly, his jaw dropped, leaving the man at a complete loss for words.

Shilo smiled at him. She was wearing the newly purchased black mini-skirt and tight-fitting black t-shirt, while her legs were half covered with the knee-high leather boots. Her dark hair was hiding part of her face, which gave her dark eyes a seemingly mysterious glint. Graverobber still stared, trying to comprehend how Shilo had chosen those clothes; not that he minded-on the contrary, he was _quite _fond of them-but she had never worn anything like that before.

Finally, words formed on his tongue, "I think you should go shopping more often, Kid." He smiled a sheepish grin before setting the little glass vial he had been holding down and rising from the couch. Grave made his way to Shilo, smiling down at her as he did so. "You look absolutely delicious," he murmured against her neck, placing a soft kiss there before drawing back to take in her dark eyes.

"I want to go out tonight," Shilo said with determination, "to celebrate…" Grave gave her a questioning look, prompting Shilo silently for more details. "I don't care what we do or where we go, but let's go out tonight, you know, get out of the house. We could even hit the graveyard once it gets dark, and you can show me the ropes." The teenager pulled on Grave's arm, smiling up at him. "Please, Grave?"

Graverobber smiled at the teen before him, enticing him with her very personality. "All right, Kid. I'll go buy you a drink, then once it gets dark, I'll take you to my lair." He winked suggestively at her, before planting a quick, but fierce kiss against her lips. "Just let me take a shower real quick, and we'll go."

Graverobber made his way to the bathroom after grabbing a change of clothes while Shilo went back to her room to apply her dark eyeliner and brush her hair again. She grabbed her purse and went back into the living room and collapsed back onto the couch, her legs thrown haphazardly over the arms of the furtiture.

Within ten minutes, Grave was back in the living room, shrugging on his coat and slipping on his shoes. Shilo slipped off the couch and moved toward the front door. Grave turned around, immediately locking his eyes on hers, "You ready?" he asked with a mischievously devilish smile. Shilo didn't say anything; her response was slipping her hand into his. At this, Graverobber opened the door and led her down the driveway into the growing darkness of the night.

**A/N: How was it? Again, I'd like to apologize for it taking so long to update. Thank you for all of your continued support! I appriciate every single review that is sent my way; don't be afraid to critique me on something if you catch it; I like to hear what you guys think of my writing, good or bad. My readers have been the reason why I continue to write, and not just let stories die; you mean the world to me. With that, I'm going to go start the next chapter... I PROMISE that it will be posted no later than a week from now. You can hold me to that. =) Until next time, xo -Rhea**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Repo! The Genetic Opera. **

Graverobber, who had had much practice navigating the dark passages of the night with silent footsteps, lead Shilo down with a confident hand. He steered them down a twisting maze of alleys before going through a door and down a flight of stairs. He was taking her to Anatomy, the underground bar that Zydrate peddlers convened at. It was created by a small band of Zydrate sellers-the original Z peddlers-as a sanctuary for the black market members. They had spent months digging out a maze of catacombs to ensure the bar's secrecy and safety. The bootlegged liquor also made things a bit more complicated, but they had their sources; it was amazing what actions-illegal or not- a person would go to in order to get a fix of Zydrate.

Shilo didn't question Graverobber where he was taking her; she trusted him. Besides, she had told him she didn't care where they went, as long as they went out to celebrate. An excited eagerness grew inside her stomach as Graverobber made a quick left in the tunnel and came to a door. He knocked almost inaudibly against the wooden frame, and within moments the door opened, exposing a hulking man with slicked back raven hair.

"Thanks, Cockroach." Graverobber greeted the intimidating man. Grave brushed past Cockroach, leading Shilo behind him. The bouncer gave Shilo a curt nod, which Shilo took as his form of a polite greeting. She gave a timid smile before returning her attention to following Grave and examining her surroundings.

The room was dark with the exception of dim lamps that hung from the ceiling. There were tables that lined three walls, and a bar that closed in the room. The middle of Anatomy was left empty, save for a DJ table that was cranking out some dark and sinister rock music. Shilo assumed they used the open space as a dance floor on special occasion-or whenever someone got trashed enough and couldn't content themselves with dancing on the tables.

There were people everywhere. Groups sat at tables playing poker, conversing and laughing. Women and several reluctant looking men moved against each other in the darkness on the dance floor. Everywhere Shilo looked, she saw people doing something knew. In addition to the dancing, poker, and drinking at the bar, she saw people throwing darts, people laughing over a story being told about some customer, and people making out in the darkest corners of the room. Shilo took it all in with wide eyes. This place was so different than any place she had ever been, and it excited her.

Graverobber, who had been studying Shilo's face as she drank in Anatomy, let his lips raise to form a self-satisfied grin. He lead her once again by the hand to the bar, to two empty stools.

"Ah! Graverobber himself makes an appearance! It's been awhile, no? We all figured Miss Sweet had you pre-occupied," the bar tender leered with a teasing smile.

Shilo watched with curious eyes as Graverobber turned his grin up toward the bartender, "Oh, shut up, Luke," Grave commanded with his sneaky grin. "That whore found herself a new man to bother-Luigi Largo himself!"

The bartender, Luke, laughed. Throwing a hand down on Graverobber's shoulder. "Ha! I just made myself a hell of a lot of money. I'll have to collect on my bets before the end of the night." Luke laughed again when Graverobber smiled, before finally bringing his eyes to the girl sitting next to his old friend. "You brought company tonight, Graverobber? I would have remembered that face; she knew around here?"

Grave shrugged before throwing his arm around Shilo, "She's my new apprentice; I'm showing her the ropes tonight."

This sent Luke into another quiet chuckle before giving Grave an approving wink, "All right, Graverobber." He turned and prepared two shots of brandy, "First one is on me tonight." Luke gave Shilo a suggestive wink before sliding her glass toward her.

Graverobber watched with amusement as Shilo timidly took her glass, eyes wide with new excitement and illicitness. She raised the glass, eyeing it with awe and caution at the same time, and within a moment, the shot glass was at her lips. When the liquor traveled smoothly down her throat and her glass was emptied, she turned to Grave, apprehensive.

Grave chuckled before raising his glass for a toast, "To new beginnings," he whispered through a twisted smile. He downed his glass before turning back to Luke, "Get her another, Luke; she wants to have fun tonight. If she asks for another, you get it for her, and I'll take care of it later."

"Yes, sir," Luke replied with a smile and a hearty laugh before refilling Shilo's shot glass.

Shilo quickly found herself enjoying the atmosphere of Anatomy. She wasn't drinking nonstop, but had her glass refilled every ten minutes or so. The space in between was filled with conversation with Graverobber. He pointed out old friends and people she should be cautious of, as well as who to make alliances with in the market.

Before too long, her body was swaying to rock beat coming from the DJ's collection. When she swayed just a bit too far backward, Graverobber's arm snaked around her side, keeping her from falling. "Perhaps you've had just a bit too much to drink tonight, huh, Kid?" he asked with a teasing smile.

"I have not!" she replied firmly, though a smile played on her lips.

"Sure, Kid. Come on, let's get you out of here. I don't want Mag looking down at me as a bad influence!" He chuckled at the thought of this before helping her to her feet. Once she gained her balance, she didn't need his support, and she stood on her own, waiting as Graverobber slipped Luke a couple bills. "Thanks, Luke. See you around."

Graverobber lead her once again by the hand through the crowd toward the exit, then back through the catacombs they passed through earlier. This time, Shilo hummed to get rid of the silence that enveloped them.

The two traveled for another fifteen minutes before Grave released Shilo's hand and pushed gently on the ceiling. To Shilo's amazement, it lifted and gave way to the night sky. Graverobber pushed aside the stone piece of ceiling, climbed up, then helped to pull Shilo up.

Shilo sat down, leaning against a stone monument, taking in the surrounding area. She was surprised to find that this wasn't an alley near Mag's house. There was grass, not cement. Confusion glazed her features before Graverobber finally spoke. "Welcome to my lair."

The girl gave him a look of puzzlement, "Where are we?"

"The grave yard," he stated, an amused smile playing against his features at Shilo's reaction. He sat beside her and waited for a moment for realization to cross Shilo's face. When it did, he was surprised to see her bring her head down against his shoulder.

"Oh," she sighed, suddenly tired. Graverobber questioned if she had passed out on him when she didn't say anything more for a few more minutes, but was startled when her eyes opened and her voice pierced the stillness around them. "This is where you get your Zydrate…How do you get it?"

Grave chuckled, "What? You don't remember? I showed you once, back when we first met." He paused as confusion crossed Shilo's face again. "You left your mother's tomb in search of a bug, and we ran into each other. I showed you the 21st century cure then. I'm hurt that you don't remember," he teased playfully, feigning offense.

Shilo stared at Graverobber. She didn't remember any of this; was he telling the truth? It probably didn't help that she'd had…some… to drink tonight, but she felt that she would have remembered being taught how to get Zydrate. Frowning with the lack of enlightenment, Shilo shook her head.

"Here," Grave said softly, taking a syringe with a glass vial at the end from a pocket in his coat. "I'll show you again, Kid." He crept a few feet away, where he had stored the corpse that he'd been getting his Zydrate from recently. "You insert the syringe like this," he showed her, "and just extract it." Graverobber demonstrated slowly, hoping that Shilo would grasp this in her foggy state so he wouldn't have to repeat it a million times.

Timidly, Shilo reached out her hand, grasping for the instrument in Grave's hand. He fixed it with a new glass vial before fitting it in her hand, and walking her through the steps, guiding the movement of her fingers and hand. When she had extracted an entire vial with his help, he fixed the syringe with another empty vial and let her extract one more by herself.

When she had finished the last vial, Shilo looked up at Graverobber, an apprehensive smile on her lips. "Was that right?" she asked quietly, her tiredness from her liquor consumption luring her towards unconsciousness.

"Perfect," Graverobber murmured, "you're a natural." He chuckled at this before standing up and offering her his hand, "Let's get you home, okay, Kid?"

Shilo allowed herself to be pulled up, and did accept Graverobber as support as he lead her back home, this time through the streets instead of the underground catacombs. They made it about one tenth of a mile before Shilo gave into her exhaustion and passed out, nearly falling to the cement if Grave hadn't caught her. With a soft chuckle and his increasingly present quiver of a smile, he picked her up, letting her fill his arms, and continued down the street as if nothing had happened.

Within fifteen minutes, Graverobber was crossing the threshold of Mag's house, Shilo in his arms. He made his way quietly down the hall toward the spare bedroom that Shilo used and lay her gently against the surely welcoming mattress. He watched her for a moment before reaching down and tenderly removing her wig so it wouldn't get tangled.

Watching her again, Graverobber took particular notice to the peaceful look of deep sleep-her lips parted slightly, her breathing even and delicate. Grave placed a soft kiss against Shilo's forehead before taking his leave from her room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

He made his way to his own room down the hall, setting the newly acquired Zydrate on the dresser before crawling into bed. The thoughts of the evening paraded through his mind, and Graverobber slowly drifted into sleep, a smile drawn against his lips.

**A/N: phew! I managed to get the next chapter done by my deadline. =D This chapter... I don't know. It didn't turn out exactly as I had planned... and I am not too fond of certain parts of it, but it is what it is, I suppose. I hope you liked the most recent addition to Graverobber and Shilo's story. Thank you to everyone who has continued to read this story and thank you to all of the people who have reviewed! I'd like to give a special thank you to EllenMerryweather for her review-thank you for the critiquing. I honestly hadn't noticed I was doing that, so I took particular care to make sure I avoided it in this chapter. =) I will try to get the final chapter up soon... but I know I have a lot of stuff going on this week; however, I'll do my best to get it posted within the week again. =) Please review-I'll love you forever! xoxo -Rhea**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Repo! The Genetic Opera.**

For once, Graverobber was awake before Shilo-a fact that he quickly took advantage of. He made his way to the kitchen and prepared a glass of water before silently advancing toward Shilo's room at the end of the hall. Grave knocked as softly as he could, and after receiving no answer, pushed the door open gently, as to not disturb the sleeping girl.

Grave set the glass of water on the stand beside the bed, let his eyes drift quickly to the sleeping teen, then crossed the room once more to draw the curtains closed to block out the sunlight that was just barely starting to peek into the room. Having all the necessities covered, Graverobber relaxed in one of the soft, comfortable chairs adorning the room. Sure, it was a little creepy that he was sitting here watching Shilo sleep; however, he knew that as soon as she crept back to consciousness, she would feel like complete shit-and what type of black market drug peddler would he be if he wasn't there to help her through her first hangover?

Grave sat in the chair for quite some time before Shilo began to stir from her sleep. "G'morning, Kid," he said brightly, a slight smirk placed on his lips. He was given a groan in response as Shilo flung her arm up against her eyes, attempting to block out the little bit of light that had found its way into the room. "I brought you some water; it'll help, I promise." Graverobber spoke softly now, knowing how his words were probably killing her head at the moment.

The older man was given a delicate "shhh…" before Shilo groaned once more, deciding it was best not to try to open her eyes for a few more hours; maybe the room would stop spinning by then. The girl's eyes stayed closed, and Graverobber questioned if she had managed to fall back into her own world of unconsciousness.

He reached his hand out tentatively, contemplating whether or not he would disturb Shilo's steady breathing simply by moving his arm. However, after a moment of silent deliberation, his fingers stretched a tiny bit farther, daring to graze the girl's cheek in a gentle stroke. This brought on an unexpected reaction: Shilo hummed softly at the touch. "Hmmm…" Graverobber paused, curious and almost… anxious… to hear and see what Shilo would come up with next. After several more silent moments, her voice broke the space between them once more. "Grave…" she began, taking a deep breath, "thanks… for everything."

A small smile spread against the man's lips. "Sure, no problem, Kid." This seemed to alleviate Shilo even more, a relaxed sigh escaping her lips before readjusting her head on the pillow and slowly drifting back to sleep.

Another smile found its way to Graverobber's face. He really had been smiling a lot lately, probably more than he had in his entire life. Could any other conclusion be drawn besides the one that indicated Shilo as the reason for this change? Did it really matter anyway? Now that he had decided to look after the young girl, did anything other than her happiness matter? Graverobber sighed, deciding that his internal deliberation was pointless after having already resolving to look after Shilo at all costs. Having made this decision, again, Grave relaxed in his chair, surrendering thought to watching the girl before him sleep peacefully.

When Shilo woke back up two hours later, her head was still reeling. Graverobber was still in the chair he had been in earlier, except he had managed to drift unknowingly into a light sleep. Shilo was tempted to chuckle at the sight of him slumped over in the chair, but restrained herself with the fear that her head would explode from the subtle motion and delicate noise. She allowed herself a humored smile before turning to the bed stand that held the glass of water Grave had prepared for her. A frown set itself on her lips as determination flared up in her eyes at the newly presented challenge.

Shilo planted her hands on the sheets beneath her and braced herself for sitting up. The strength seemed to have disappeared from her limbs, but she summoned it back, urging her muscles to remember how to work properly. _Sitting up shouldn't be this strenuous of a task! _It took a few false starts and unsuccessful attempts, but in less than a minute, Shilo had managed to sit up enough to reach over and grab the glass of water that had been left on the bed stand. She took a few little sips, savoring the cool smoothness of the liquid traveling down her throat.

The teen set the glass down on the wooden table next to her bed with a soft, but audible, clink, which set Graverobber into motion, stretching his limbs and waking back up to the world around him. "Hey, Kid," he mumbled through a sheepish smile, "how are you feeling?"

Shilo considered the question for a moment before giving her answer, "Not too bad, I think. My head hurts like a bitch, though."

This earned her an amused smile from the man in the chair. "Drinking as much as you did last night will do that to a kid-" A stern glare cut him off, pushing him to correct himself before an argument flared up. "-Drinking that much will do that to a _person._"

Shilo's features relaxed once more at the correction. She didn't hate it when Graverobber called her "Kid;" it was basically just a nickname. However, she did _not _like the fact that he had just called her a kid. She was practically an adult¾living on her own and everything. Hell, after what she and Grave had done the other morning…how could even still think of her as a kid?

"Grave…" Shilo began timidly, not quite sure how to broach the subject without making things weird or making her head hurt more than it already did. His eyes rose and met her gaze, already questioning what was on her mind.

"Yeah?" he asked, cautious.

"…Well… I just…" She sighed, feeling momentarily defeated. _No, I have to do this. If I want to be his equal… _With another sigh, this time of determination, she began again. "I wish you wouldn't think of me as a child; I'm not one anymore, and I wish you'd treat me like an adult, especially after we…"

"Ki-Shilo, I don't try to think of you as a kid; hell, I don't even _want_ to think of you as a kid. It just… sort of happens." Shilo gave him a curt look. "What I mean is that… I just feel like I want to protect you or something; you seem so… vulnerable, or something." Graverobber quickly diverted his gaze, feeling the intensity of Shilo's eyes on him, but not daring to look up from the now-interesting glass of water.

"I'm not vulnerable!" she countered at his meekness. "I've been treated like baby for my entire life, and I am finally able to live my life the way I want to; I'm doing perfectly _fine_ without everyone trying to protect me."

Hearing her voice raise, Grave came to the conclusion that if he wanted Shilo to at least consider seeing things from his point of view, he would have to stop fearing her reaction. With a separate flare of determination in his eyes, he resumed his side of the _debate_, for he refused to let this escalate to an argument. "What's so wrong with people caring about you? What's so wrong with having someone want to protect you? Whether it's needed or not, is it so bad to have someone who loves you enough to try to keep you safe and happy?"

Graverobber hadn't noticed the control in his voice slowly fading, but Shilo had. Without realizing what she was doing, her hand was reaching out, resting itself on Grave's knee. "Grave…?" After a few moments of silence, Shilo tried again. "Grave, are you oka-"

"Sorry, Kid-I mean, Shilo. It's just… I've lived on those streets for… a long time, and believe me, there were times when it would have been nice to have someone, hell, _anyone_, who wanted to protect me. The closest thing I've had to that is the junkies I sell to, and they only give a shit about me because I supply them with their fix. Believe it or not, but having someone who cares about you and wants to try to protect you from the bad in the world isn't the worst thing ever."

During Grave's proclamation, Shilo found herself lacking the will and desire to disagree. She could hear the strained control in his voice, could see the desolation deep and far away in his dark eyes. _This is the closest I've ever been to Graverobber's past; he's never been this… open with me before. Has he been suffering all this time and hiding it from the world? _Once again, her body was moving without her brain's knowledge. Shilo moved her hand from his knee to the other where his hand was laying apathetically. She drew his hand into hers, trying to create some sense of reassurance in the gesture.

"Grave…" she spoke softly, "hey, I'm sorry; you're right. I just… it's frustrating sometimes when you want to be equal with someone, deserving of that person, and they still see you as a pathetic, defenseless child."

The man raised his eyes once more, "I never said you were pathetic or defenseless. I don't see you as a child either; you're obviously a woman now. It's just that…some part of… my being tells me to try to shield you from all the shit in the world."

Shilo grinned, her lips pulling slowly into a timid smile. "I'll tell you what, Grave," she whispered, intertwining their fingers and drawing his hand closer to her. "I won't protest you trying to protect me anymore if you let me protect you too." Her smile lit up her eyes as she met his gaze, trying to send every possible message through the single look that everything would be okay, somehow, from now on. _I will take away the pain you've felt… someway or another, Grave. You don't have to suffer in silence anymore; I'm here now._

Graverobber felt his lips twitch upward and found himself leaning forward, out of the comfortable chair, to wrap his arms around the girl before him, enveloping her in a tender hug.

"You've got yourself a deal, Kid." Shilo smiled with a sigh of unexpected relief at hearing her old nickname on his lips. "You think you're up for some breakfast yet, or are you still under too much of your hangover's influence?" Shilo could practically hear the amused smirk in his voice.

"My head still hurts, but I think I can manage food now. But, do you really think you are capable of making breakfast? Last time you tried…" she teased.

"I won't burn the toast this time, I promise."

Later that evening, Shilo found herself hidden in the darkness of the city's back alleys. Graverobber had held true to his promise: the promise to let her accompany him on the streets at work. However, he made it quite clear that tonight she would only be observing the exchanges, not actually selling Zydrate.

The two of them had discussedwhat would happen over the only _slightly_-burnt toast they had for breakfast. After several heated minutes of debate, a compromise was reached. Shilo would be allowed to work alongside Graverobber as soon as possible-that evening-however, for the first couple of nights, she would only watch the exchanges take place, not actually sell the drug.

Grave was still holding meekly onto the hope that Shilo would see first-hand what took place on the dark streets, and would decide that she wanted something better for herself. However, that hope was diminishing more and more with each passing hour.

Already, Shilo had observed two different purchases; from what she could tell, it wasn't that hard. The only thing she'd have to focus on was keeping her face free of emotions while making the exchange. Graverobber had briefed her on some of the little things she'd have to heed, in order to keep her out of as much trouble as possible while working the black market scene.

For Shilo, the evening seemed to pass quickly. She followed Grave loyally in the darkness, watching as he sold Zydrate to at least two dozen different clients. When the consumer had left, Shilo would lean over and ask him a question about the purchase, or about how he handled the particular person; each time, Graverobber would answer honestly, regardless of how unwilling he was to bring Shilo any further into the Zydrate world.

Several hours later, as the night was fusing with morning in the darkness, Shilo's first day selling Zydrate on the streets drew to a close. She had grown tired without even realizing that she was slowly drifting in and out of consciousness against Graverobber's side as they walked. With a wickedly-amused smile, Graverobber stopped walking and let Shilo lean against him, supporting her with his arm.

"I thought you were up for this, Kid? Is it past your bedtime or something?" he teased lightly, sure that she was still awake enough to catch the taunting.

"Shut up," the girl managed to mumble, "long day…" Graverobber grinned again, then shifted his weight and turned toward Shilo. Surprisingly gracefully, he picked her up, holding her like a groom carrying his bride through the threshold of their home. The sudden movement was unexpected for Shilo, causing her to gasp quietly in the man's arms. "Grave…?"

"Shh, Kid. Don't worry, I'll take care of you tonight; get some rest," he comforted quietly. Shilo found herself too tired to protest, and allowed Graverobber to carry her wherever he had planned. She smiled slightly at the thought of trusting him to protect her from anything that tried to frighten or threaten her in the night.

Graverobber carried her to one of the more isolated alleys-one that wouldn't see a lot of bums trying to get their fix or make a living on the street corners. It was the alley that he usually slept in before he had met Shilo and started crashing at Mag's house; it was the alley he still called home when he wasn't at Shilo's place.

As delicately as a feather caressing a soft breeze, Graverobber set Shilo on the cool pavement, leaning her back gently against the brick wall behind her. Grave shrugged off his jacket, kneeling down to wrap it warmly around Shilo's shoulders. He made himself comfortable at her side, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders, pulling her to him.

Though Shilo teetered between being awake and asleep, she could distinctly feel the warmth surrounding her. It didn't matter that she could feel the hard ground and wall supporting her; it didn't matter that she was out of the safety of Mag's house; it didn't matter that Luigi and Amber were still probably trying to kill her. None of that mattered now. Shilo could feel hear Graverobber's breathing, feel his heart beat as she leaned into him in comfort. She felt undyingly safe in the man's arms, something she had never expected to feel after seeing her father murdered so brutally.

Shilo smiled as a thought struck her. She thought back to the day she had asked Mag for help, and she had imagined Mag showing her two different images-two different paths. It was hard to believe that it was only a few days ago; it was hard to believe that so much had changed since she had decided the path she wanted to take. The situation she was in currently was so similar to one of the images Mag had 'presented' to her in her mind.

With another smile to herself, Shilo knew she had made the right decision. Sitting here in the dark alley was perfect, because she had a friend, a companion, beside her. There was no possible way she could have been happy by herself in Mag's luxurious house; it was just so empty, despite all of the material belongings it contained. Here, with Graverobber by her side, she would never be alone again, not in society, and not as a human being.

Leaning closer into the protective arms around her, Shilo sighed once more. "Thanks… Grave. For everything…" she mumbled into his warm chest.

As the pale moonlight fell delicately over Shilo's features, Grave discerned her faint smile. With a smile of his own, he leaned down, placing an ethereal kiss against her hair, bring his fingers to play soothingly with her wig's tresses. "Sure, Kid. No problem."

**Author's Note: yay! It's finally finished! I'm sorry this chapter took awhile to get finished... I was having a major case of writers block. However, I just had my wisdom teeth removed yesterday (God my mouth hurts like a SOB.) so I've had some free time on my hands-I forced myself to sit down and finish this story.^_^**

**I really hope you enjoyed "Alone in Society." I might do another Repo story in the future... but probably not for some time; I want to try to dedicate some of my time to a handful of other stories that I'm still working on. I want to say thank you to everyone who has followed this story; I never expected it to have so many readers. You guys are the best! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed as well! I love hearing what everyone thinks-so don't forget to review this final chapter! =D Until next time ~~ ~~**


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